Woman's Work

An invitation from the McColl Center for Visual Art in Charlotte, NC, to "spin my thread" in a Gothic-style tower was the catalyst for creating "Woman's Work". Myth is filled with stories of a woman, usually a virgin, imprisoned in a tower by an authoritarian figure. Rapunzel is a well-known fictional captive. This type of myth often involves a woman spinning thread and weaving fabric.  Being capable of creating elaborately decorated fabric made women more valuable brides. Frequently, fathers confined their daughters to spinning and weaving. The value of a virginal daughter to a wealthy suitor in marriage was usually foremost on a father's mind. He wanted to choose the wealthiest son-in-law possible. The work in the bell tower addressed the idea of protection to the point of confinement.  At what point does a hug become a restriction? My focus was on the pivotal moment when the woman elects to abandon the confines and safety of the tower and weave a rope ladder to ascend into the unknown. 

The mythic woman I envisioned spun so much thread that it began to escape the tower like a vine. I used the walls of the McColl Center to create a vine-like thread, emphasizing both the ascent to the tower space and the chaotic journey upward. Her existence transformed into a tree-like base from which she climbs to escape, symbolizing her struggle and triumph over confinement.